Source: SoutheastDiscovery.com

Despite a challenging real estate market in 2009, Headwaters of Banner Elk had 17 closed sales for 2009 compared to 23 closed sales in 2008.  Not surprising to us here at Southern Way Of Life, as this is one development that is doing things right in the current marketplace.

Located in the High Country of Western North Carolina where elevations reach above 5,000 feet, the High Country has a lot to offer. With three distinct towns comprising the area – Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk, each feature one of a kind shops and restaurants to enjoy with small town charm, year round.

Headwaters at Banner Elk is 12 miles outside of town and is located overlooking both the Cherokee and Pisgah National Forests, offering some outstanding views that will never be built upon. It’s like having the national forests right in your own back yard. Literally. Adding to its location, this gated community has been well designed, offering several lakes within the community, numerous natural waterfalls, parks and boulders that are all part of its attractive landscaping.

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For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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By: John Haynes - Developer

I recently found a 2007 issue of a very popular western North Carolina lifestyle magazine that hadn’t been taken out of its wrapper.  In this magazine were numerous advertisements for real estate developments throughout the Appalachian Mountains of Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina.  Many of them featured big name golf course designers and touted all manner of amenities and plans for the future.  What I found most striking was the fact that now in 2010 many of these highly publicized developments are either in bankruptcy today or never built a fraction of the planned amenities or infrastructure and so today are floundering.  If you purchased in one of these communities, you know what I’m talking about. 

I never intended The Headwaters to become a big golf resort community with celebrity endorsements.  In fact, we don’t have a golf course and never will.  There are plenty of good semi-private courses around us to enjoy already.  I quietly came onto the scene amidst the hoopla of dozens of new community openings that featured flashy grand openings with big name entertainers and so forth.  I never held one of these “launch” events.  The reason was that those types of events tended to attract a large number of speculators who had no intention of making that particular development their own.  They were looking for a quick buck.  Unfortunately, many of those buyers who genuinely bought into the lifestyle hype of the developers, who planned on making that real estate purchase the cornerstone of a lifetime of family memories have now been disheartened.  Another reason I never held one of these events is that they cost so much to put together! 

On several occasions, I’ve had visitors tour The Headwaters, only to disclose that they’d purchased elsewhere and regretted it because the developer failed to deliver even a portion of that which was promised.  They look around all that The Headwaters offers and all of our new homes going up, and they let out a sigh of disappointment.  I truly feel for these folks.  They weren’t the greedy speculators.  They were the individuals who truly wanted to make the dream a reality.  If only they’d visited The Headwaters first.  That’s not to say that The Headwaters is the perfect match for everyone out there.  But it certainly has a very broad appeal and that’s one reason we’ve been so successful. 

In my book, “slow and steady wins the race”.  Where others poured countless dollars into slick marketing pieces and promises of high returns, I simply followed my business plan of building high quality amenities that everyone could enjoy in a setting that features incredible scenery, all at a very value oriented price structure.  I didn’t hire a Madison Avenue marketing firm.  We basically developed everything in house.  Most of the photography on our web site and in our literature was taken by myself or my staff right here on the property.  In fact, every photo in our photo gallery page on the web site was taken within The Headwaters.  It bugs me to see the same stock photo in ad campaigns for multiple unrelated developments or photos that have no relationship to the property being offered.  Right here in Banner Elk, there’s a competitor that uses photos of what appears to be Yellowstone National Park and somewhere else in Montana.  Why?  Perhaps they don’t have beautiful scenery to photograph themselves. 

I never loaded up a large office of high paid professionals resulting in outrageous overhead expenses.  Instead, I poured my heart and soul into the property and kept the staff to a bare minimum, but of extremely loyal and skilled individuals.  Since our first closings in April, 2006, we’ve closed 99 transactions which includes several profitable resales.  Given the real estate meltdown of 08-09, The Headwaters has done remarkably well.  Without exception, today our property owners sing our praises. 

If you purchased property in one of these failed, or failing communities, I wish I could do something to help you out.  But one piece of advice: don’t throw good money after bad.  Sometimes you reach a point where its time to cut your losses.  Pick up the pieces and if you’re still in the market and have the ability, call us at The Headwaters and allow my staff to show you how wonderful a place we have here in Banner Elk.  I assure you that you’ll be glad you did.” 

For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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These are just a few of the amazing amenities offered at Headwaters at Banner Elk!

- Professionally Staffed Gate House for controlled access and peace of mind
- The Point Clubhouse with views of NC, TN, and VA mountains featuring a fully equipped fitness room, game room, gourmet kitchen, 14 seat state-of-the-art theater and 2,000 s.f. of outdoor decks
- Two spring-fed lakes with picnic areas and fishing piers
- Tennis court with 20 mile view
- The Sunset Amphitheater for concerts, lectures, weddings and other special events
- The Lakeside Park with covered picnic pavilion with mountain stone fireplace
- Miles of maintained walking & hiking trails, including a 1.5 mile trail around two lakes
- Deer Creek Park featuring a three acre wonderland of trails, bridges, two 2-story tree houses, campsites, picnic areas and a swinging bridge of a trout pond
- Stoney Creek Park on the lower lake with footbridges, outdoor grill, fishing pier and stone picnic table
- Fall Creek Falls Park featuring a 30′ natural waterfall with 60′ cascade and trail
- Sunset Park with a sweeping view of the Pisgah National Forest, perfect for watching brilliant sunsets

For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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By: John Haynes
Developer - Headwaters at Banner Elk

The Year 2009 witnessed a sea change in the real estate business including that of second home communities.  The list of floundering and bankrupt communities grew steadily through the year and included many high profile communities.  However, it appears that things have begun to stabilize.  At least that’s what we’re seeing at The Headwaters.
 
Our tour traffic and scheduled appointments for January and February are up over the same time last year.  We ended 2009 with 12 closed arms length transactions and went into 2010 with five pending transactions that will close before the end of the month.  It is important to point out that these transactions are “arms length” when comparing the sales claims of other communities.  There are those in this business that advertise sales figures that include inter-company sales or transactions with closely held parties in an effort to boost their sales figures.  (Remember Enron?)  Our advice is to do your homework and ask area Realtors, folks at the local Chamber of Commerce, the county inspections department, local builders and others in the business as to the most stable and successful communities.  If you do so with The Headwaters, you’ll hear that we are leading the way in regard to sales and new home construction activity in the Banner Elk area.
 
In 2009 alone, we saw construction start on six new homes, five of which are custom homes for existing property owners.  Plans for two others have been submitted for approval and we will soon break ground on the first of our Lakeside Villas town homes.  These will feature two and three bedroom floor plans overlooking our two lakes.
 
In your search for a mountain home, now is a great time to invest.  There are still concessions to be had and building costs are down.  However, it is important that you look for a community that is built on stability and a proven track record.  The Headwaters is just that.  We’ve been here for four full years now, closed 99 transactions and completed 31 residences (custom homes, cottages and condominium villas).  We encourage you to plan a visit to see why so many others have chosen to call The Headwaters home.  Now is the perfect time.”

For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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Source: SouthernCommunityGuide.com

Allyn and Cathy Stanton of St. Louis began searching for a mountain retreat years ago. Traveling throughout western North Carolina, touring properties and hearing numerous sales pitches, time and again, they found many of the properties didn’t live up to the advertising.

After four weeks on the road in 2007, they discovered The Headwaters at Banner Elk, N.C.  Although they had decided on another community during their trip, they fell in love with The Headwaters and quickly canceled their commitment to the other developer. They had been looking for a place that was upscale yet relaxed, secluded but convenient to daily services and fine dining. They found it upon touring the property with developer John Haynes.

“Allyn and Cathy travel a lot for business, but can work from anywhere,” says Haynes. “Our certified fiber optic status was a big selling point because they can stay connected with their sales associates, yet enjoy pristine long range views from their spacious villa.” They were looking for a maintenance-free lifestyle, yet the qualities of a single-family custom home. They now enjoy their two bedroom condominium villa so much that they schedule their travel plans so they can spend as much time as possible at the property. Click here to learn more!

Great Outdoors: Says Haynes, “Our 880 acres and adjoining Pisgah National Forest lands offers something for every outdoorsman, but if you want more, you’ll find it within a few minutes of our gate.”

That Secure Feeling: The Gate House is staffed seven days a week, ensuring the privacy of each resident.

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For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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The best value per square foot in the High Country, especially when you consider all the amenities offered at The Headwaters at Banner Elk!

Be sure to visit us at Headwaters at Banner Elk when you’re in The High Country of North Carolina! With six community parks, two lakes, miles of professionally built trails and a mountaintop clubhouse unequaled elsewhere, it is understandable why The Headwaters continues to set the standard by which all other communities are compared.

For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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The Headwaters at Banner Elk is blessed to have such outstanding property owners within its family.  One such family is the Wood family of Hillsborough, North Carolina.  Michael and Dorothy Wood purchased a Springhouse Villa Condominium just over a year ago and love being at The Headwaters.  Michael owns an environmental services company called The Catena Group which provides soils evaluation, wetlands surveys, environmental impact statements, etc.  Part of what attracted them to The Headwaters was the abundance of natural beauty and wildlife not often found in other communities.  This prompted Michael to create a one of a kind outdoor guide book. 

For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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“The goal here at The Headwaters is to exceed your expectation. In today’s world too many developers rely on slick advertising with promises of things to come, only to not deliver. At The Headwaters, you can rest assured that what you experience on site will far surpass what you see on this website.

All the photos on this site (except those of Banner Elk) were taken on the property. Unlike other developments, none of our images are stock photos taken elsewhere. Where other developments have failed, we’ve continued to add new owners, new homes, and even more amenities.

Not only will you find we live up to our promises, you’ll find an attention to detail and care not often found these days in other planned developments. Just ask any of our property owners and you’ll hear about how our staff will go out of the way to make everyone’s experience a memorable one. This is our home, our way of life, our belief in treating others the way we wish to be treated. You don’t find that very often these days.

So I encourage you to share in the glory that is The Headwaters at Banner Elk. Only a handful will get the privilege, so let us hear from you soon and allow us the pleasure of showing you our one-of-a-kind community.”

John Haynes - Developer

For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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By: John Haynes, Developer

One question I often hear is “How are the roads in winter?” 

Its a good question that everyone should ask when considering buying property in the mountains.  Its one thing to be enraptured by the scenic beauty in the spring, summer and fall, but if the roads are not properly maintained in the winter, your mountain experience can be unsettling at best and outright dangerous at worst. 

Here within The Headwaters, we have a dedicated road maintenance crew that keeps our roads better than any in the market.  They ONLY serve Headwaters.  In many communities, the snow crew is first obligated to clear shopping centers and retailer parking lots, leaving individual property owners to wait. 

Example, the photos that are part of this blog show our road conditions the morning after we experienced an unusual 20″ snow fall.  One of our full time residents arrived late in the night during this snowstorm and had no problem getting to their home after they entered the gate.  She commented, “Just one more reason we love living here!”  If you can’t enjoy your mountain home during all four seasons, you’re missing a lot of the fun. 

Winter is beautiful up here when the lakes occassionally freeze over and you can go skiing or snow tubing at the nearby ski resorts. 

So, make sure you inquire as to how the roads are maintained. 

You’ll find at The Headwaters, we take good care of our property owners.”

With six community parks, two lakes, miles of professionally built trails and a mountaintop clubhouse unequaled elsewhere, it is understandable why The Headwaters continues to set the standard by which all other communities are compared.

For more about The Headwaters at Banner Elk, visit www.headwatersnc.com or call us today at 866.200.3290 to schedule a private tour!

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